


Now now petal, don't go blooming

by Deanlovescaspassiton



Series: The AU [2]
Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Florist AU, M/M, this was made for them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-20
Updated: 2015-08-20
Packaged: 2018-04-16 08:52:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4619178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deanlovescaspassiton/pseuds/Deanlovescaspassiton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The florist AU that everyone knows we need.<br/>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br/>“No no, you can't just pick them based on how ‘pretty’ they are Eric, each flower has a meaning."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Now now petal, don't go blooming

**Author's Note:**

> Based the (I work part-time in a flower shop and you keep asking me about what this flower means in flower language and I honestly don't know so you end up giving me a lesson.’ AU) but i just changed minute details.
> 
> i saw this prompt and realised it just had to be done.
> 
> Am accepting titles as i can't think of one
> 
> beta'd by [IzaChanLuv](http://archiveofourown.org/users/IzaChanLuv/profile)

The door bell rang, a sweet little ringing sound that drove Eric mad when he was working the double shift. How had he ended up working his afternoons in the local flower shop? Oh yeah. Grell and Ronnie. Ultimately he was blaming them. To be fair Will had just sat by so he was also to blame. Eric looked up to see the shops’ new customer and his breath caught. The man was small, smaller than Grell (that’s small) and skinny, almost worryingly so. However he looked like he could handle himself despite his small stature. He was fairly pale but this was England so…His brown hair looked oh so soft and his fringe stopped in points just above his glasses. Eric shook himself and stopped openly ogling and staring but he had a feeling the old lady smiling at him had caught him. He wasn't scared of anything but Grell on certain occasions, and old ladies. 

They both had a strange kind of power over him-that is to say they intimidated him. 

 

Eric swallowed and took the potted plant from the old lady, scanning it and bagging it for her. He would never understand people’s love of flowers, nor the buying of them every other week after they had inevitably perished. Yes-he worked in a flower shop and didn't understand or like flowers ok? Grell had worked in hardware store once and Eric was pretty sure she had, with her lack of DIY knowledge, caused multiple people to probably have bought the wrong thing and to have been sent to the opposite side of the store just because they had opted to ask the grinning red employee who clearly stuck out. Eric sighed and told the lady the price of her pot of lavender, trying not to breathe in the scent of the flower. the old lady smiled and looked to the guy Eric had been watching. “Go for it, he’s gorgeous.” She said, a twinkle in her old wise eyes. “Ah..I..no I..” Eric mumbled, flustered and surprised. The old lady sighed and left shaking her head. 

 

Eric turned his gaze back to the guy who was admiring the row of bell flowers with a small almost sad smile. Eric studied his clothing and tried to understand what he was doing wearing a suit-he didn't look the type at all. The shop insisted on it’s staff wearing suits-yeah Eric didn't get it either-so his suit was slapdash, customised, messy but in a charming rough way. It included gloves that had proven a very good idea. He shuddered at the memory of the particularly thorny rose Grell had insisted on having. Eric concluded he had no idea but he was determined to find out. “Hey, anything I can help you with?” He asked as he stood and went over, his curiosity getting the better of him. The man smiled as Eric made his way over. “Um no I don't think so..I was just trying to calm down before my job interview, flowers always help me focus, though they often make me sad.” Eric frowned, “Well we cant have you sad now can we?” He asked with a charming smile he used on Ronnie when he wanted him to do something. The guy blushed a little which Eric adored and was determined to make happen more. “You’re too kind.” The stranger replied. 

 

Eric picked up a single flower from the prettiest pot and held it towards the man. “Hopefully pretty flowers make you happy, I'm Eric by the way." The guy blushed a little more and smiled brightly but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I'm Alan.” He replied, he looked down at the flower and looked melancholy. “Do you know what this flower means?” Eric went still, his optimism at this going well speedily ebbing away. “Uh, it’s meaning?” Alan smiled at Eric’s dumbfounded expression. “In the language of flowers, this yellow carnation means disdain and or rejection.” Alan said in a somber tone. ‘Oh fuck.’ Eric thought. He quickly snatched his hand back and put the flower back in the pot with the rest of it’s brethren. “I..no that is not what I meant. It just looked pretty” Eric rambled as he tried to explain himself. Alan started to smile and this time it reached his eyes. “Well since you didn't know I wont take it personally.” He joked, shyly looking at Eric from under his fringe, glad for his glasses as a personal sort of barrier in various situations. 

 

Eric took a deep breath of relief and motioned to the white camellia next door to the carnations. “What about these?” He asked hopefully. Alan ducked his head and quietly said “Adorable or lovable." Eric smirked before taking one and giving it to Alan-his cheeks were blazing as pink as the pink camellia’s behind the white ones. Eric started pointing to each pot he thought were nice and had Alan explain them. “This?” He asked. Alan’s blush died down a little and he was more comfortable now, enjoying whatever was going on between them. “No, those mean separation and goodbye.” Eric dropped them as if they had poisoned him. This continued for a while. Until- “No no, you can’t just pick them based on how ‘pretty’ they are Eric, each flower has a meaning. Flowers are used in all aspects of life for so many important events, flowers and their language have been dated back so long some meanings were un-translatable.” Alan lectured as they got to the end of the row of pots. Eric just watched him in awe. 

 

“So..” He began. "We have, correct me if I'm wrong: adorable/loveable, flirtation, the beginning/welcome, patience, beginning of a friendship and,” Eric picked up one last flower he had hidden behind his back, "Forgive me." Alan laughed and added the last flower to his meaningful bouquet. “Of course, thank you for this Eric. How much?” Eric shook his head and crossed his arms. “Nope, on the house.” Alan gaped. “Are you sure? I mean these are quite a few, won't you get in trouble?” Eric smiled at Alan’s worried face. “Nah, besides, this place owes me. Enjoy.” Alan grinned and brought the flowers close to admire. Shit!” He hissed. Eric smirked and decided he liked hearing Alan, put together and friendly Alan, cuss. 

 

“What is it?” Eric asked. “My interview! I've got ten minutes to get to the city centre!” Eric ushered Alan to the door, “You’ll be fine.” He assured just before grabbing a four leaf clover. “Eric Mr. Spears is very strict about being punctual, I usually am!” He rambled. Eric raised an eyebrow before grabbing Alan’s shoulders and looking him in the eye. “William T. Spears?” Alan nodded. “Ge’s a friend of mine. Well I say I friend, man’s a robot so I'm as close to a friend as he can get. I’ll call him, explain.” Alan exhaled and smiled. “Thank you Eric.” Eric dropped the clover into the centre of the bouquet and said, “At least I know that one. Hey if the interview doesn't work out, which I'm sure it will, come and work here. You can free me since you're more than qualified.” Eric decided Alan’s small laugh was worth calling in a favour from Will. 

 

“Hey Will, yeah it’s Eric, look I know you’re at work but you’ve got a bloke coming for an interview and he’s gonna be late. Not by much, but don't take out on him, it’s completely my fault.” Alan watched Eric nod a bit before humming in agreement. “Cheers Will, I owe you one. Haha, if I could wrangle Grell don't you think I would? Look I'll let you get on, cheers again. And Will? You’re gonna love him.” Alan blushed and held out his bouquet. “Look after these for me? I'll come and get them after my interview, promise.” Eric took them with a smirk. “I’ll be waiting."

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The doorbell signalled a visitor but it wasn't who Eric was hoping for. “Hey.” His replacement for the next couple of hours said, a school girl also working part time. “Hey.” He mumbled. The girl didn’t comment and instead got out her book and took up the seat. Eric sighed and turned to go get Alan’s bouquet before turning back around and asking; “What is that?” The girl raised an eyebrow. “A book, a wonderful thing. It contains words which tell you things.” She teased. “Can I borrow it?” He asked with a eye-roll. A sigh and the book was handed out. “Cheers.”

 

Alan opened the door only to knock it into Eric. “Oh my God I'm so sorry! What is that?” He asked. Eric winked at the girl before pushing Alan outside and closing the door. “I did some research, how’d the interview go?” He shot back, keeping one arm behind his back and smirking just to infuriate Alan. He lit up. “Thank you for calling Will, and I see what you mean about the robot thing. The interview went well. I'm fairly certain I got the job.” Eric grinned. "That's great!” Alan motioned the hidden thing behind Eric’s back. “What is it?” Eric smiled shyly and gave the Gloxinia to Alan. “I looked in a book, turns out flowers do have a language. It’s so vast, there's a flower for everything!” He complained with a smile. Alan took the flower and the bouquet and just smiled, taking in Eric and then the new flower. “Alan Humphries, I think we should see each other again.” He said, his free hand outstretched. Eric took his hand and replied, “Eric Slingby, you know where I am but I'm gonna give you my number, so you can lecture me about flowers some more.” He teased. Both men watched each other with a smile as the sun was slowly starting to set.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos? Comments? Please? :)
> 
> the list i used for the flowers  
> [Here](http://www.buzzle.com/articles/flowers-meanings-list-of-flowers-and-their-meanings.html)


End file.
